You might be surprised to learn that men’s jewelry has existed long before women’s. For the sake of argument, up till the Middle Ages, there has been almost no difference in jewelry for both genders except for its size. The earliest historical evidence of men’s jewelry dates back to 30,000 years ago. These pieces were mostly made out of mollusk shells and animal bones. Among the most famous archaeological finds of that era were eagle talons used by noblemen in the territory of modern Croatia about 13,000 years ago.
The oldest men’s jewelry made of metal dates back to 7,000 years ago. It belonged to the Copper Age civilization called Varna which lived along the banks of the Black Sea. One particular site claims our attention because it features a high-status man who was buried with an unfathomable number of gold items. These included rings, bracelets, necklaces, armlets, a scepter, and many more valuable pieces. In fact, this man’s grave contained more gold than all the gold found by archeologists worldwide from that era.
Overall, scientists unearthed over 3,000 jewelry pieces in the Varna necropolis. Most of them belonged to men, which suggests that it was a patriarchal society. Some specimens of golden men’s jewelry were also found in Norwich and Panama. However, none of them could even compare to how ancient the Varna artifacts were. When it comes to more recent jewelry trends among men, there’s no need to dig in the ground. Instead, historians can look at old paintings from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance era, and up until today. And almost all of them portray men of power with some kind of ornament.
There are different types of men’s fine jewelry including rings, bracelets, necklaces, chains, earrings, cufflinks, pins, tie clips, and many more. Some of them have served different purposes other than signifying one’s status or making a fashion statement. Historically, a significant part of jewelry for men served a ritualistic purpose, which is only natural given that men were top spiritual leaders in many cultures (think of Amazonian shamans with their peculiar headpieces and the Vatican Pope’s ring). Moreover, there have been some practical applications for such items. Sailors wore rings and earrings valued at roughly the cost of a funeral in case there had been an accident at sea. Signet rings were used as far back as ancient Egypt as stamps. Medieval merchants utilized rings for measurements, while others inserted compasses in them to navigate unfamiliar terrains. In the past, men’s bracelets and armlets were part of their armor and also served as lucky charms. Pins, cufflinks, and tie clips are often applied to secure some parts of clothing.
In general, men’s jewelry has different motifs than women’s. Apart from traditional geometrical options, many men choose to wear pieces featuring animals, especially lions, eagles, wolves, or dragons. This can signify a man’s wild spirit, strength, and nobility. However, it’s important to know that Olertis doesn’t limit you in any way when it comes to custom design, style, and motifs. With our personalized jewelry for men, you are free to create whatever kind of jewelry you want and assign to it your own unique meaning and value.
